Agency vets Wright and Islam bumped into one another while vacationing in Cancun and bonded over the frustrations of looming early midlife crises. Tequila-fueled conversations ensued, a business plan was sketched in the sand, and in late 2003 Commonground was born. The 130-person shop prides itself on its diverse staff and collaborative environment. And clients including Coca-Cola, NBCUniversal, Bacardi, Miller Lite and Target hire it for multicultural work as well as general-market advertising. “That’s about our expertise as well as diversity,” said Islam. “We provide our clients with a unique lens on the world.” Commonground expanded from its Chicago roots into New York last summer after winning Verizon’s African-American assignment.